The Connecticut Historical Society is located in the West End of Hartford, at the corner of Elizabeth Street and Asylum Avenue. Come visit the CHS and check out one of our exhibitions or learn more about Connecticut’s past or your own family story in the Waterman Research Center.

Our exhibition galleries are open. The Edgar F. Waterman Research Center is open Tues, Wed, Fri, Sat –  by appointment only.

Current COVID-19 policies:

• If you feel sick, stay home. We would love to see you another time!
• In alignment with current CDC recommendations, the CHS encourages staff and visitors to wear masks indoors in order to reduce the spread of respiratory illnesses.
• Please visit the Welcome Desk upon entering and when leaving the building.
• Many of our exhibits feature interactive, hands-on elements. We clean, disinfect and replace our hands-on materials when they are visibly soiled or damaged

The health and safety of our visitors and staff is our highest priority. To safely welcome you, along with increased cleanings and other steps mentioned above, we have:

• Carefully reviewed the Re-open Connecticut rules and guidelines.
• Established a management committee to lay out all new operating protocols and to ensure they meet or exceed the mandates.
• Participated in industry sessions on safe reopening, sharing ideas and information.
• Generated thoughtful changes to maximize your safety and enjoyment of our exhibits and library.
• Self-certified that we are following applicable Re-open Connecticut rules and guidelines.

Museum Hours

Regular Hours:
Tuesday–Friday: 12:00–5:00 pm, Thursday nights until 8pm
Saturday: 9:00 am–5:00 pm
Sunday 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Library & Waterman Research Center

Tuesday-Saturday 12pm-5pm, Thursday nights until 8pm Always by appointment only.

Store:

Monday–Saturday: 9:00 am–5:00 pm

Holiday Hours:

The CHS is closed on New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. The store is closed on Monday holidays.

The CHS will close at 3:00 pm on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

The CHS will open at 12:00 pm the day of the Hartford Marathon (2nd Saturday in October).

Admission is FREE for CHS members and children 5 and under.
Admission to the museum galleries is FREE the first Saturday of the month.

One-day admission prices:

$12 Adults
$10 Seniors (65 and over)
$8 Students (with valid college ID) and Youth (6-17)

Appointment required for the Waterman Research Center.

Save with multi-visit passes to the Research Center:

Adults (3 visits): $33
Seniors (3 visits): $27
Students and Youth (5 visits): $27
Admission fees may apply to programs and events. Please call (860) 236-5621 for information.

The CHS is proud to be a part of  Museums for All , and offers free admission to individuals and families presenting a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card.

It’s time to explore! From July 1 to September 5, Connecticut children age 18 and under plus one accompanying Connecticut resident adult can visit the CHS free of charge through the Connecticut Summer at the Museum program.

• The children and the accompanying adult must reside in Connecticut.
• Proof of residency may be required (i.e. CT driver’s license or ID card) by a participating museum.
• This program is geared towards families exploring together, not large camp groups.
• This program may not be used for group visits, such as visits from camps, youth groups, scouts, Boys and Girls Clubs, etc.

Connecticut Summer at the Museum is made possible through an investment from the federal COVID-19 recovery funding Connecticut is receiving from the American Rescue Plan Act. The program is administered by the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development’s Office of the Arts in partnership with Connecticut Humanities.

Group Visits:

For information about group tours of the museum for adults, visit the Adult Group Tours page or contact [email protected] or (860) 236-5621 x232. For group tours and museum programs for kids, please visit the Education section of this site or contact [email protected] or (860) 236-5621 x232.

Address:

One Elizabeth Street
Hartford, CT 06105

Accessible entrance & additional information

The Connecticut Historical Society is located in the West End of Hartford, at the corner of Elizabeth Street and Asylum Avenue. There is ample free parking available. Bus parking is available behind the building, in the Asylum Street lot.

Directions from I-84 East:
Take exit 46 (Sisson Avenue).
Turn right at the end of the exit ramp onto Sisson Avenue.
At second traffic light turn left onto Farmington Avenue.
Take first right onto Girard Avenue.
At second intersection turn right onto Elizabeth Street.
CHS is on the right (after the UConn School of Law campus).

Directions from I-84 West:
Take exit 46 (Sisson Avenue).
Turn right at the end of the exit ramp onto Sisson Avenue.
At second traffic light turn left onto Farmington Avenue.
Take first right onto Girard Avenue.
At second intersection turn right onto Elizabeth Street.
CHS is on the right (after the UConn School of Law campus).

Directions from Albany Avenue (Route 44) and points northwest:
From Albany Avenue, turn right at Scarborough Street.
Scarborough Street becomes Whitney Street as you cross Asylum Avenue. Continue on Whitney Street to the next intersection.
Turn left at traffic light onto Elizabeth Street.
CHS is on the right (after the UConn School of Law campus).

Public Transportation:
The CHS is located closest to the Asylum Ave and Opp Girard Ave bus stop. Click here to get more information about arriving via public transportation.

Physical Access

The CHS is handicap accessible. The handicap entrance is through the Auditorium Lobby, which is located to the left of the main entrance. To use this entrance please ring the bell to the right of the Auditorium door or call the front desk to notify staff that you will be using this entrance.

Once inside the building, there is a small lift and elevator for access to the exhibit spaces. A handicap accessible restroom is located on the first floor.

Access for Hearing Impaired

The CHS has worked closely with the American School for the Deaf to provide select labels in our temporary exhibit that are accessible in American Sign Language. Please bring your smartphone or tablet in order to access these labels using a QR code and/or website listed on the label.

The CHS also provides ASL interpreted programming and/or Closed Captioning for some programs. Please visit the Upcoming Events page to learn more. ASL Interpretation or Closed Captioning can be provided for any upcoming program with at least 2 weeks prior notice. Please email [email protected] to make arrangements

Access for Neurodiverse Audiences

The CHS has sensory bags available upon request for individuals with sensory sensitivities. These bags include noise-reducing headphones and sunglasses, for both children and adults, fidget tools, sand timers, and a copy of a social story designed for a family visit to the museum. To borrow a bag, simply request it at the welcome desk. To access the social story prior to your visit to the CHS, click this link: Social Story. For more information about these resources, please contact Katerina Mazzacane, Youth and Family Programs Manager, at [email protected] or call 860-236-5621 x222.